Smt. Sheela Thomas, Chairman, Rubber Board said that Rubber growers, processors, product manufacturers and labourers should take collective efforts to improve the quality of rubber to face the challenges in rubber sector. She was inaugurating the Board’s awareness campaign for improving quality of NR. Thirty percent of natural rubber is obtained in the form of field coagulum and hence its quality also needs to be improved. Rubber Producers Societies should help the growers to improve the quality of their produce, she added.
The Chairman released the video film and the poster produced in connection with the conduct of the campaign. The first copy of the film was received by Sri.K.E.Chacko (President, Chirakkadvu RPS) and the poster by Sri. George Valy (Member, Rubber Board). Dr. J. Thomas, Rubber Production Commissioner, in his introductory speech said that consumers are now more aware of the quality of products and Indian NR needs to maintain high quality to have a say in domestic and international markets. Sri. S.Mohanachandran Nair (Director, Processing and Product Development) presented the theme of the campaign.
Adv. Siby J. Monipally, Sri. George Valey, Adv. Suresh Koshy (Rubber Board members), Sri. Roni Joseph Thomas(Representative, Block Rubber Manufacturers) and Sri. G.Murali Gopal (Representative, Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association) spoke on the occasion. Sri. P.K. Ramachandran (Joint Rubber Production Commissioner) welcomed the gathering and Sri. D.Anilkumar (Joint Rubber Production Commissioner) proposed a vote of thanks.
Campaign meetings will be held from 10 June to 19 July in the traditional rubber growing belts of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Apart from the main theme to improve the quality of NR, subjects like low frequency tapping, quality sheet processing, soil moisture conservation, tappers bank, labour welfare schemes, importance of replanting will also be discussed in the meetings.